Tension control reel



y 5, 1953 c. B. BLESSING TENSION CONTROL REEL 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed July 5, 1949 N 21 m3 WWW Na 2; NE. v9. M New 3m 00m 0M u I 2n on ame 96 ow? omv m k Tw n m 3? 2? vlmm von Non

CHARLES B. BLESSING JIVVENTOR.

A TTOR/VE Y May 5, 1953 c. B. BLESSING TENSION CONTROL REEL 2 SHEET$-SHEET 2 Filed July 5, 1949 CHARLE$ B. [5 ET55WW JNVENTWE.

Patented May 5, 1953 2,637,504 I C E TENSION CONTROL REEL Charles B. Blessing, Oakland, Calif., assignor to Blessing Packaging Company, a corporation of California Original application May 10, 1949, Serial No. 92,259, now Patent No. 2,479,552, dated August 23, 1949. Divided and this application July 5, 1949, Serial No. 103,029

1 Claim.

This is a division of application Serial No. 92,259, filed May 10, 1949, now Patent 2,479 552, and a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 15,869, filed March 19, 1948, now Patent 2,545,337 of March 13, 1951.

This invention relates to a machine for feeding a web of paper under a controlled tension from a reel.

I have heretofore proposed the fabrication of a container for an item such as a garment from a continuous supply of a flat tubular stock by cutting a suitable length of such stock and folding over and fastening opposite cut edges to form a bag or envelope for the article to be packaged. The present invention relates to mechanism to be utilized in a machine particularly suited to the fabrication of such a container and, more particularly, to the means enabling a selected length from a continuous supply of the flat tubular stock to be fed into a machine including means for severing such desired length of the material from such continuous supply, folding over the cut edges and fastening of these to provide the container. To the successful practice of formation of such a garment bag, it is desirable that a continuous supply of the paper he provided and that this be fed into the associated operating mechanism without further attention on the part of an operator other than to replenish when necessary the supply of the material provided in the machine. To this end, it is desirable that the web of material which is to be formed into the container be under a substantially uniform tensicn and be fed readily into the associated mechanism. Further, it is desirable that the machine be provided in a relatively simple manner so that an operator can readily replenish the supply of tubular stock and feed this into the machine.

It is in general the object of the present invention to provide a novel mechanism for mounting a roll of tubular stock for rotation and for controllin free rotation of the roll to provide a length of the stock under controlled tension.

The invention includes other objects and features of advantage, some of which, together with the foregoing, will appear hereinafter wherein the present preferred form of machine embodying this invention is disclosed.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a form of the machine.

I Figure 2 is a front view of the machine shown in Figure l.

Figure 2a. is a fragmentary view of details as seen from plane 2a-2a in Figure 2.

Figure 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Figures 4 and 5 are partial sections illustrat- 2 ing various positions of the mechanisms shown in Figure 3.

Figures 6 and 7 are fragmentary plan views of the mechanisms shown respectively in Figures 4 and 5 and illustrating successive steps in placing a roll of paper in position for use in the machine.

Figure 8 is a section along line 8-8 in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a section taken along line 9-9 in Figure 6, part 438 being omitted.

Figure 10 is a section along line l0l0 in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a section taken along line lll| in Figure 6.

Figure 12 is a section taken along line l2|2 in Figure 5.

Figure 13 is a section taken along line l3--l3 in Figures 3 and 5.

Operation of the machine Before proceeding with a detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the machine, a general description and operation of the machine will be given so that a ready understanding may first be had of the machine and the operation. In Figures 1, 2 and 3 there is shown a support 3l6 for an item to be enclosed in the bag or envelope such as a garment on a suitable hanger, and a roll 3| 8 of tubular stock in sheet form. With the support SIS in a garment supporting position, as in Figures 1 and 2, a hangered garment is hung on the support, the hook 329 of the hanger being placed in a notch 322 on the support 316. The garment has been omitted from the illustration.

The frame The machine includes a frame having upright side members 360 and 3512, joined by upright back member 30d. Back member 30 is open as at 386 to provide access from the rear as well as from the open front of the machine to the interior of the frame. A platform 398 is joined with side members 3% and 302 and with back member 304 to form therewith a substantially rigid frame having a base 3!!) extending from the sides and back and which rests upon a floor M2 or other support. Cross members 3! and M5 extend between th side members, as shown, to add further to the rigidity of the frame.

Tubular stock handling mechanism The provisions for loading, dispensing, and controlling the dispensing of the stock of which the bag or envelope is made will noW be described in connection with Figures 2 through 13.

It has been found preferable to maintain a degree of tension in the Webs transverse to the plane of severance.

This I accomplish by securing the roll of tubular stock against rotation until the initial sever- The innermost convolution of the roll of tubular stock is secured to a rigid cylindrica1 core member 436 (Figures 18 and 11) so that there can be no relative rotation between the convolution of the roll and the core 436.

The roll support comprises a U-shaped assembly provided by parallel arms 438 and 448 which are rigidly secured. to, and near the ends of, a shaft member 442 extending between the sides 300 and 382 of the frame. The arms are pivoted parallel to the rear wall 386 on trunnion brackets 444 and 446 fastened to the platform 388 about midway between the rear and forward edges thereof so that the shaft 442 lies behind bracket 348. V

The arms 438 and 448 and the shaft 442 are made of such metal that they may be sprung into the dotted line position of Figure '1 and then returnrto the full line position through their own restitutional. capacities. are preferably made of rectangular steel strips, as'shown, to provide bearing support for the core 436, and further provide support for the presently described mechanism effective to control the freedom of rotation of core 436 V a H The. bearing supports are illustrated in detail ance otters;

in Figures and 11; the bearing support pro- ,igided pon arm 438 includes a pin 448. A sleeve 452 is mounted for rotation upon pin 448, the sleeve and its integral centering head 454 being retained in place by a head 450 (see Figure 10) upon the pin 448, the pin 448 being suitably secured to arm 438 as by threads 449. The centering head 454 is of a diameter such that it fits snugly in the core 436 and is spaced from the 5 "arm 1438 'a substantial distance by the sleeve porftio'n '452 being held against axial movement'by the head 458. I The other'bearing support mounted 'iipon arm 448 include a conical member or ring '410-"ournaled upon a pin 412, secured to tli'eiarm 440. The'centering ring or cone 410 in- 'ciudesa shoulder 414 which abuts against the "end of the core436 and spaces this and the tubu- '1 ar sto'ck thereon from the arm 448. The axis "of' pin 4l2 and pin 448 are coincident with the lnt'eriiallongitudinal axis of the core 436.

The core support At the end of the core 436, which is mounted on a metal cup 455, is provided an internal cylindrical sleeve portion 455 which is drawn from a blank to provide a spider or Wall 458 and a rim "'468;"wallf458 andrim 468 serve to assist the jseevejportion 456 in retaining its circular secf 'on,jthe"spider458 forms a stop for centering ;head145 4 while the rim 480 determines the depth jto which spider 458 is inserted inside the core f andinsures that the sleeve 456 takes a position jc oncentrio with the core 436. Sleeve 456 is secured a'gainst rotation and displacement in core I436 by" having tang 462 struck radially outward into the core 436,the latter usually being made *of wo odor paper. The sleeve portion 456 is of "sufiicient axial length to accommodate the head 454 and'a' portion of sleeve 452 to leave a portion of sleeve452 projecting axially outward of the rim 469:50171136 the rim 468 is positioned with a fixed clearance from arm 438 at all times. Iv The sleeve portion 456 with Wall 458 provides a snug cup-like seat for the head 454 so that the .head'454 rotates with-the s1eeve about pin 448, [the axis of the core 436 beingcoincident with that of pin 448. The portionofthe sleeve 456 surrounding bearing-sleeve 452 presents a concentric frictionsurface or brake-drum, and the annular space between the two sleeves and sur- The arms 438 and 440 i rounding sleeve 452 accommodates an arcuate brake shoe 484 carried by a hub 465 journalled on a pin 466 in arm 438. Lever arm 461 is joined to one end of a crank arm 468, the latter in turn being secured to the outer end of hub 465 for imparting oscillatory movement to the brake shoe, a suitable friction surface 469 being provided on shoe 464 for engagement with surface 456. By turning crank arm 468 clockwise, as viewed in Figures 3 and 9, the roll 3 I 8 is hindered from rotating clockwise. It will be clear that the space between rim 4G0 and arm 433 provides clearance for the movement of arm 468.

The arms 448 and 438 are connected at their free ends by two telescoping members 416 and 418 (Figure 8). Member 416 is tubular and is provided at one end with a coaxial pin 486 which passes loosely through a hole 482 in arm 440, washers 454 and cotter pin 486 securing the assembly in a loose jointed linkage. Member 418 is a rod fitting slidably in the tube 416 and linked by pin 488 and secured to arm 438 in a similar manner to the linkage of pin 480 to arm 448. The length of tube 416 is about equal to the distance between the left end of sleeve 452 and the right end of centering bearing pin 412, the parts in Figure 8 being shown in a position corresponding to the dotted line position of these in Figure '7. Member 416 also serves as a handle with which to shift the loading rack between positions of Figures 3 and 5.

When the roll M8 is in position to deliver tubular stock (Figures '2 and 3), the arms 4 88 and 4453 are held firmly against the ends of tube 416, the intermediate portions of these arms being sprung slightly inwa-rdto force the centering ring 4118 and centering head 454 firmly into position in the ends of core 436 and to secure the roll axis exactly horizontal and .parallel to the rear wall 354 of the frame. tioning functions are obtained by centering and aligning lugs 496 and 492 (-Figure'2). These lugs each include a base 494 (Figure 13) securing the lug to one of the side walls 380 and '382, a cam portion 486 having an inclined portion 498 and a straight portion 580 and a stop 582. "These lugs are arranged to engage the arms "448 and "438, as the arms are moved from the second loading position, illustrated in Figure 5, to the final position of Figure 3, they engage theinc'line portion itii "on each lug and finally seat against stops 582 and rest against surfaces 580. The

positions of the stops582 "and shaft 442 .is, "as

shown, such that gravity maintains "the roll in "position when base 888 is horizontal.

The loading operation t'is one of the functions of the roll support to assist in the loading of theroll of stock. The loading is accomplished as follows: With the various parts 'in the-relative positions shown in roll 318 being on the brake side of'the machine.

The arms are then moved to the approximate position shown in Figures A and B-vvhere the centering members 454 and 410 are stopped by the These holding and posi-' roll; if the core of an exhausted roll remains, it is suspended between the centering members in this position. The arms 439 and 440 are now rasped near their outer ends and spread apart, as illustrated in dotted lines of Figure 7 and, while so related, they are brought to an approximately horizontal position, as illustrated in Figure 5, wherein the ring 410 and head 454 are in approximate registry with their seats in the ends of core 435. The arms are then released to force these parts into the core 439, as illustrated by Figures and 11.

It will be observed that the freedom of the arms to separate, as shown in Figure 7, is insured by the loose connections and telescoping parts, as shown and described in Figure 8. The spring action of arms 438 and 440 with shaft 442 temporarily secures the roll firmly between the centering heads 410 and 454; by raising the handle 416 slightly, some of the stock 324 is released from the roll and can be pulled toward the rear wall 304, as shown in Figure 5.

When the arms 438 and 440 are in that position in which they are shown in Figures 4 and 5, the brake shoe 464 is retracted to the position shown in Figure 9, thus insuring that an empty core is easily released upon spreading the arm to the dotted line position shown in Figure 7 without the interference of the brake lining 409 and the drum 455, as well as permitting the brake shoe to be inserted within another sleeve 450 without engaging it. This action is insured by the arrangement of the brake actuating linkage whereby gravity is utilized to release the brake in this position of the arms rather than to secure the brake as is the case when the arms are in the position of Figure 3.

The brake actuating linkages include a pair of arms 504 each having one end pivoted to arms 438 and 440, that pivoted to arm 438 being by a pin 506 at a point intermediate between the journal 444 and the pin 448 (Figure 4). A pair of pins 500 and 5 on arm 438 are disposed to engage the associated arm 504, as will be described. A link 401 (Figure 2a) is pivoted to arm 504 at 503 and to arm 450 at 505 (Figure 9).

Control of roll rotation As seen in Figure 3, the brake is engaged, the weight of arms 504 and roller 5l0 being sufiicient to effect this and hinder rotation of the roll. In this position, arm 504 is supported through the linkages 504, 561, 550, the brake lining engaging the brake drum. In the absence of the drum 456 the pin 5!! prevents excessive clockwise movement of arm 504 when the arm 504 is in a position corresponding to that shown in Figures 4 and 5, thus ensuring that the brake shoe 464 does not extend outwardly to engage the cup 455 so that the cup can be easily placed over the centering head 455.

In moving from the position of Figure 3 to that of Figure 4, the arms 504 and 515 are shifted forwardly of a vertical line through its pivot 506 on arm 438, either by direct shifting with the hand or by a rapid movement of handle 416 to the position shown in Figure 4, which movement is suddenly stopped at or before this position, causing arms 504 and 516 to shift of their own inertia and that of the associated linkages. After the roll 3| 0 has been placed in the position shown in Figure 5, the operator raises the support by handle 416 and thrusts the assembly over center against the lugs 490 and 492, whereupon brake am 504 takes the brake set position of Figure 3.

The web portion 324 of the stock is now extended so as to be threaded through the path provided in the machine as indicated in Figure 3. In order to so extend it, the brake must be released. To this and other important ends, a tubular roller 510 is provided, supported by pins 512 and 514 in arm 504 and a. similar arm 5l8 mounted on arm 440 in a manner similar to the mounting of arm 504 on arm 438. Since both arms 504 and 5l0 are freely linked at both ends, it is clear that either end of tubular roller 5l0 may be shifted without greatly changing the position of its other end. This freedom is of utility, as will be pointed out presently.

It will be noted that stock 324 is shown as threaded unde tubular roller 5l0 in Figure 5. Accordingly, movement of stock 324 upwardly, as in Figure 3, tends to raise the member 510 horizontally, thus raising brake control arm 504 and releasing the brake so that the roll 3! turns more freely. The machine is operated by an operator depressing pedal 328 (Figure 1) mounted upon an end of treadle lever 098 to transmit a pull through cable 008 to operating mechanism efiective to form the garment bag, but the details of which are not pertinent to the present invention. Movement of the lever is transmitted by cable 608 trained around a sheave 690 to the operating mechanism through a spring 614; the other end of the cable, indicated at 618, is secured to spring 002 which in turn is fixed upon the frame as at 604. The pedal is pivoted to the frame as at 100 and is retained between vertical I guides 102 and 104 (Figure 2) having stops 10B and 108.

I claim:

A tensioning device for feeding a web from aroll thereof wound on a tubular core, said device comprising first and second spaced support arms, means on the first of said support arms for supporting one end of said core, means on the second of said support arms for supporting the other end of said core and for controlling rotation of said core including a shaft secured on said second support arm, a centering head mounted on said shaft for rotation and having a cup member with a cylindrical inner side wall adapted for use as a friction surface and an outer side wall adapted to engage one end of said core, a brake shoe extending concentrically with at least a portion of said inner side wall and mounted within the cup structure, and a crank arm pivotally mounted on the second support arm, said lever arm actuating said brake shoe.

CHARLES B. BLESSING.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,103,144 Hunting July 14, 1914 1,169,767 Bresnan Feb. 1, 1916 1,182,679 Hatton May 9, 1916 1,607,528 Grover Nov. 16, 1926 1,808,181 Sevigne June 2, 1931 1,849,005 Grover Mar. 8, 1932 1,907,742 Coleman May 9, 1933 1,927,585 Fischer et al Sept. 19, 1933 1,955,806 Hartley Apr. 24, 1934 2,045,046 Mudd June 23, 1936 2,226,152 Babcock Dec. 24, 1940 2,326,645 Hill Aug. 10,- 1943 2,359,140 Meitner Sept; 26, 194 2,445,080 Petskeyes July 13, 1948 2,460,694 Haswell Feb. 1', 1949 

